Joseph Lee Lifke

Joseph Lee Lifke, age 60, transcended this life on December 8, 2020, after a heroic two year fight with brain cancer.

He grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the first of four children of Sally Starkovich and Donald L. Lifke. His father passed away only three years earlier at age 83, also from cancer. He is survived by his dedicated wife Lisa Lifke, who shared many years of adventures and cared for him full time; his mother Sally and husband Don Gonzalez; his brother Don M. Lifke and children Nicholas and Lauren Lifke and partner Claire Syroid of Albuquerque, NM; his sister Julie Lifke and husband James Eaton of Newport, KY, and son Chad Eaton of Cincinnati, OH; his sister Susan Lifke and husband Todd Perlmutter of Agoura Hills, CA.

Joe played string bass in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony orchestra. After graduating from Manzano High School in 1978, he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from UNM and a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from NMSU. He and his brother Don, an Electrical Engineer, worked together at various employers, most recently at Sandia National Laboratories. Joe earned multiple patents during his career. Joe completed the Police Academy and served as a reserve APD officer for 29 years.

Joe was never afraid of taking chances to get the most out of life. He played on city baseball and hockey teams. Joe’s ingenuity inspired him to make a hang glider, which didn’t quite make the trip from the roof of the family house to the patio. He later bought a real one. He pushed himself to learn to water ski like a pro, doing daredevil tricks and taking hard falls. In 2009, he and Lisa purchased a condo in Phoenix, AZ, and a lot on a nearby ski lake where they spent many days enjoying the sun and water. His passion was golfing and he spent much of his spare time with Lisa, Don, and friends at Paako Ridge Golf Course. He planned to retire on a lot with incredible mountain views that he and Lisa had purchased in 2018. The employees at Paako were his second family.

After his diagnosis, Joe wasted no time playing as much golf as he could. He traveled to enviable courses he would have never before imagined. During one round with his brother, he even took a break at the turn to go to one of his appointments at Mayo Clinic, returning to finish the round. Joe’s selfless, final wish was to donate his brain to the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center in order to further research and to help find solutions in treating this unrelenting disease.  The family thanks the staffs at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Albuquerque, the caregivers, friends and family who assisted Lisa in caring for Joe in Phoenix and at home. #FTMFT

Due to current state restrictions the family will hold a private remembrance.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Please share your memories of Joe and view a memorial video at frenchfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Glioblastoma Foundation at: https://glioblastomafoundation.org.